"I didn't know what else to do. So I helped him. I helped Simmons breach the president's security."
— Helena to Leon, regarding her guilt

Helena Harper is an agent of the United States Secret Service (USSS),[2] a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security, and a former CIA agent. She had a younger sister named Deborah.

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"I understand the anger she must have felt when her sister Deborah was put in the hospital by an abusive boyfriend, but no matter what the circumstances, firing on an unarmed civilian is unacceptable conduct for a government agent."
—
Helena's superior in the CIA in the report of her transfer[3]

Before the events in Tall Oaks, Helena was an agent in the United States government's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), prior to joining the CIA she served in the United States Army. Her abilities were highly regarded by FOS operative Ingrid Hannigan, who was evaluating seven agents as possible recruits for the Division of Security Operations under orders from United States President Adam Benford. In her report, Hannigan stated that she felt that Helena's strong will made up for her tendency of becoming over-emotional, choosing Helena as a "prime candidate" over at least five other agents she evaluated. However, Helena's rash behavior would eventually lead to her being suspended from the CIA. After apprehending the suspect in a series of murders, the man began to make threats against the family of one of his victims. In retaliation, Helena used excessive force against him, an act that provoked the CIA to temporarily suspend her despite her claims of it being justified.[4] After having returned after her suspension from the agency, Helena discovered that her younger sister, Deborah, was hospitalized by her physically abusive boyfriend. Overcome with anger, Helena retaliated by shooting and injuring the man. Her superior reported to Hannigan that Helena's candidacy for the DSO was to be no longer considered and that she would be required to report to the United States Secret Service. Despite his mild sympathy for what happened to her sister, Helena's superior still doubted if she would last as a government employee for much longer with her attitude.[3] These incidents impressed Derek C. Simmons, the National Security Advisor and head of The Family, and he began to manipulate Helena's career progress for his own devices.[5]

Helena pleading with Simmons to let her sister go.

Helena became involved in the plot of the National Security Advisor and head of The Family, Derek C. Simmons. In order to manipulate her, Derek had Deborah kidnapped. Willing to do anything to protect her younger sister, Helena agreed to Simmons' demands. She was to help him bypass the president's security when he visited Ivy University in Tall Oaks to give his speech to the American people - a speech that would reveal the truth of the Raccoon City Incident and the U.S. government's involvement and support of the Umbrella Corporation's bioweapons, which could subsequently destroy The Family's designs of keeping the United States as the highest world power.

On the day of the speech, Helena sent out a false alarm over the radio to tell the agents that a group had entered the campus with the intent of assassinating the president. The agents assigned to protect the president were dispatched to investigate the claim and search the campus for the individuals, leaving Benford vulnerable to Simmons' impending attack. Grief-ridden with what she had done, Helena turned on Simmons. She abandoned her post and rushed to the university to inform them that the alert was fake, though her claims were immediately dismissed as the agents were aware of Helena's past transgressions with the CIA which had left her with a poor reputation.[6] The only agent that gave Helena the benefit of the doubt was DSO agent Leon Scott Kennedy. The two rushed to the president, but by the time they had arrived Benford had already been infected, the agents finding him in the midst of feeding.

Realization of the president's death begins to sink in.

With President Benford being infected by the C-Virus as per Simmons' plan, he had become a zombie and immediately turned on Helena to continue feeding. Unable to bring herself to fire upon the president, it came Leon, the president's close personal friend, to shoot him just as he moved to attack Helena. In the wake of what had happened, Helena admitted that the event was her fault, though when Leon asked how, she only said that they needed to go to Tall Oaks Church. Hannigan contacted Helena and Leon informed her that he was forced to kill President Benford. Helena immediately came to his defense, telling Hannigan how the president had already turned and Leon did what was necessary to save her life. After a moment of silence, Hannigan said she would file the report and informed the two about the spread of the infection. Helena lied by saying that Leon had a lead about who was behind it and that they were heading to the church, a lie that Leon corroborated. Before they departed, Leon bid his final goodbyes to his friend before asking Helena about the church. She remained tight-lipped, saying only that it would be better to show him.

"It's hard to explain. If I don't tell you at the cathedral, you may not believe me."

Being forced to kill an infected student.

To get to the church, Helena and Leon first had to escape from the campus. Unfortunately, it was a task easier said than done as they ran into numerous difficulties and hindrances. Helena became immediately annoyed with Leon's benevolent nature when he agreed to help a man search for daughter, Liz, particularly as the event forced Helena to kill her first infected individual. The entire situation left Helena clearly rattled as Leon scolded her hesitation. She didn't make the same mistake moments later when zombies swarmed the elevator they were on before they escaped into the parking garage. Helena turned the tables when they witnessed two survivors on the campus' security camera monitors and had to convince Leon it was too late to help them as they were attacked before their eyes. Eventually, the two agents managed to escape through the west entrance of the university into a police patrol car. The ride was short-lived as Leon flipped the car when a zombie that had latched to the roof reached through the window, though Helena and Leon both survived the crash.

Helena boarding the escape bus with survivors while Leon covers them.

Under the directions of Hannigan, they proceeded into the sewers to bypass a pile-up of flaming vehicles. The sewers led to the still-active subway system beneath Tall Oaks where the duo met another survivor who Leon insisted on saving again, despite Helena's complaints. Obsessed with saving a man named Peter, Helena tried to stop her from opening a shutter that was keeping a mass of zombies out but it was too late. As the woman was killed, the agents fought through the infected and up to the streets. The city was chaotic as people were attacked on the street and survivors crashed their vehicles in their hurried attempts to escape, though Helena was only concerned with pushing through. However, she eventually went against her nature when she reluctantly agreed to help Leon protect a group of survivors. Although she reacted hostilely at first to a woman named Nancy, snapping that she should stop crying and shoot if she wanted to live. However she softened up later, scolding the girl's boyfriend, Peter, as the young man insulted a rookie police officer for risking his life to save Nancy's. The two agents managed to keep the survivors safe until a bus arrived to take them to the church, where Helena and Leon had found out survivors were congregating.

Through their effort, the bus managed to push through the mass of undead although two survivors - a gun shop owner and a young Japanese man - were lost in the process. Helena and Leon were informed by Hannigan that not only was a group named Neo Umbrella claiming responsibility for the attack, but Derek C. Simmons was beginning to inquire about the situation, worrying Helena due to his involvement. Their progress was delayed again as the driver lost control of the bus and skidded to the edge of a cliff. Although zombies swarmed the bus, and a stray truck smashed it off of the edge, Leon and Helena managed to survive as they were thrown clear from the burning wreckage of the bus. Unfortunately, no one else survived the accident. As Leon voiced his disgust at the senselessness of so many deaths, Helena was more sympathetic but told him that they did not have the time to grieve right then.

Helena and Leon preparing to try and rescue survivors from the Lepotitsa.

The two had to cut through the cemetery to make their way to the church, though when they finally arrived, one of the survivors, Paul, refused to let them in. Helena and Leon were forced to fight for their lives as zombies swarmed over the front of the church, drawn in further by the ringing church bells. The agents overheard another survivor arguing with Paul until the man suddenly smashed out a window and began to provide aid with a sniper rifle until Paul agreed to finally open the door. When the doors opened, Helena and Leon rushed in, Helena providing the cover-fire needed to force a zombie back until Leon could get the door shut. To the disappointment of the survivors, the two had to tell them they were not the rescue the group were anticipating. As the survivors settled back down, Helena explained to Leon that there was a secret passage beneath the altar though when he asked her what was there, she merely repeated that it would be better to show him. Although, much to Helena's chagrin, the two had to go through an ordeal of puzzles to unlock the secret opening, they finally succeeded and unwittingly unleashed a Lepotitsa on the survivors inside. Although they managed to defeat the creature, they were not without casualties. Obtaining the keycard to gain them entry into the laboratory beneath them, they proceeded on.

Helena finally finds Deborah alive.

As the two proceeded through the underground labs, Helena became more hectic and worried as she searched for a woman named Deborah. When Leon repeatedly asked about the woman, Helena chose only to ignore him as she quickly continued her search for her younger sister. Leon eventually voiced his frustration with Helena stringing him along, but she pleaded for him to bear with her a little longer. They came to a lab lined with chrysalids in tubes and found a video tape labeled Happy Birthday, Ada Wong. The tape depicted the birthing of Ada's doppelganger, though when Leon asked if this is what Helena wanted to show him, she insisted that none of it was present when she was there three days ago. The duo eventually were forced to escape the lab through a garbage chute, leading into the caverns below. As they continued, Helena inquired about the woman on the tape, who Leon believed was Ada, but he only retorted that Helena should provide some answers herself if she wanted some in turn, a point that Helena conceded to as being fair. Through the caverns, the two eventually found Deborah Harper alive but unconscious. Managing to bring her to consciousness, Helena dismissed Leon's demands for answers again, saying she would tell him everything if he helped her get to safety with Deborah. Reluctantly, Leon agreed. They proceeded through the caverns with Leon providing protection as Helena carried her sister, but it wasn't long until Deborah's became overcome with burning pain. Putting her sister down, Helena watched in horror as her sister's body suddenly combusted and became encased in a thick residue that hardened into a cocoon. The cocoon began to hatch and Helena reached out for her sister's hand as it freed itself only for Deborah's body to be thrown out of its shell as a crossbow arrow embedded itself in her head.

Taking aim at Ada Wong after she shot the hatching Deborah with an arrow.

Ada Wong revealed herself to the two and Helena aimed her weapon at the woman. Without words, Leon got her to lower her weapon as Helena succumbed to her emotions and broke down, sobbing over the death of her sister. The cavern began to show signs of collapsing as Helena clutched on to her sister's body, apologizing to her. Deborah's mutation took form as arachnid-like appendages burst from body. Helena pleaded for Leon and Ada not to harm her, but Deborah was no longer herself and threw Helena off of her and attacked the trio. As the fight continued, Deborah dislodged a pillar, causing the floor beneath them to collapse and Helena became separated briefly from Leon and Ada. They found their way down to the next level where Deborah attacked again until her brute strength caused the floor to collapse again from her attacks. Helena and Ada were separated from Leon this time, meeting up in a minecart that Deborah targeted next. Helena screamed for Deborah to stop, but to no avail. The minecart was dislodged from the tracks and crashed into a wall, sending the four plummeting below.

Finally letting go of her sister, already long-lost.

Helena and Deborah landed together on an unfinished bridge as Ada and Leon landed on a higher platform. As an appendage erupted from Deborah's mouth, she prepared to attack Helena as Leon and Ada tried to protect her from a far. Helena fired as well, causing Deborah to retract the appendage in pain as she stumbled around Helena and began to topple over the edge. Helena grabbed Deborah's hand and looked into her face, but Deborah could only respond with snarling and hissing. Swearing to not cry until she avenged her death, Helena let go of Deborah's hand and watched her fall into the darkness below. She finally told Leon everything about Simmons and her involvement, to which Ada offhandedly remarked how it sounded like something Simmons would do. Ada told Helena and Leon both to be careful as they were dealing with the people who "really run the country" before making a prompt exit.

Hannigan contacted the two again, though when Leon tried to warn her about Simmons they discovered he was already observing the conversation. Simmons immediately began to question them, naming them as suspects in the attack as they were the only ones present at the time. Helena reacted angrily, accusing Simmons of being responsible for everything though he merely brought up how Helena had suspiciously abandoned her post and that there was no proof of his involvement. He suggested they turn themselves in to prove their innocence before cutting off the call. Helena agreed to partner with Leon so long as he helped her get to Simmons, now convinced to make him pay for what he had done. As they proceeded through the catacombs, Helena asked Leon about Ada, questioning if she could be trusted. Leon was unable to give a straight answer which led Helena to guess that the two had some history together. The two were separated numerous times through the unstable catacombs, along the way coming across a dangerous shark-like B.O.W. that they managed to evade.

Having barely escaped, Helena and Leon watch as Tall Oaks is destroyed.

The creature stalked them through the flooded caverns however, eventually chasing them down a long tunnel where they managed to shake the creature once and for all. The tunnel led into a lake outside of Tall Oaks where the two watched as the city was destroyed, eliminating any evidence against Simmons. Helena and Leon were contacted again where they were told Simmons had already left for his private jet, planning to head to China where another bioterrorist attack had occurred using the same C-Virus used in Edonia six months prior. Leon said they needed to take Simmons into custody, but they had no evidence. He eventually asked Hannigan to fake his and Helena's deaths as they went to China to confront Simmons.

"Why didn't you turn me in? You could have cleared your name."
—
Helena to Leon on the plane to China

On the plane to China, Helena questions Leon's choice.

On an American airline to China, Helena questioned Leon, asking him why he chose not to turn her in and clear his name. He told her that clearing his name would not have stopped Simmons and joked that she was growing on him anyway, provoking a grin from her for once. The plane hit turbulence and started to lose altitude as passengers panicked. Leon raced to the cockpit and Helena quickly followed him, only to find the pilot hatching from a chrysalid as a Lepotitsa. The two agents forced the creature to retreat into the lighting system above, though they were immediately informed by Hannigan about an issue in the bulkhead.

Preparing to inspect the issue in the cockpit.

They arrived in time to stop a gas leak, but the Lepotitsa returned, crashing through the ceiling. As they fended off their attacker, they managed to get the cargo hatch open which pulled the three of them out. Helena and Leon managed to grab a hold of the hatch door as the Lepotitsa flew out and to the city below, though as they managed to crawl back onto the plane and closed the hatch, they found the Lepotitsa had succeeded in infecting the passengers. Back in the cockpit, they discovered they had accidentally destabilized the plane and Leon was forced to take controls to stop the plane from crashing. As infected passengers swarmed the cockpit, Helena had to hold them off and protect Leon as he tried to get the plane under control. They were forced to make a crash landing into Lanshiang. Exiting the plane, Helena and Leon found themselves making contact with an old friend of Leon's, DSO agent Sherry Birkin, and mercenary Jake Muller.

Preparing to draw her Picador on Sherry and Jake.

The situation grew tense as Leon discovered Sherry was reporting to Simmons directly and Jake assaulted Leon when he tried to get answers. Helena was ready to act, however, with her hand already resting on her firearm ready to draw if it was necessary. Though as Sherry tried to defuse the situation, they were suddenly attacked by a B.O.W. that was tracking Jake called Ustanak. Together the four fought Jake's pursuer and managed to force him into retreat for the time. When the coast was clear, Leon and Sherry went to jump a barricade to find a way out for the others, but the Ustanak attacked again. Helena was left alone with Jake to fight the creature again, though she expressed being impressed with Jake being able to survive previous encounters with the Ustanak, and in the same breath questioning Jake's sanity when he remarked he found the whole thing fun. Leon and Sherry returned to help, crashing a double-decker bus through the barricade to reunite with Helena and Jake. The fight continued until the fire overcame a nearby electrical tower, causing it to fall upon the Ustanak and separate Leon and Helena from Sherry and Jake. Through the wreck, Sherry informed the two that she was going to meet Simmons at the Kwun Leng building, but before Leon could reply an explosion cut him off. Helena asked if Sherry and Jake would be alright, and Leon only remarked that he hopes Jake is as good as he thinks he is. On their way to Koocheng, they cut through a market that had been blocked off only to find the horrific reason why - a dangerous regenerating creature was stalking the streets. They managed to eventually escape into a nearby building where Leon was able to dispose of the creature in a nearby grinder.

Going after Simmons, after letting Chris and Piers follow "Ada".

As they continued, they caught a glimpse of Ada's doppelganger, Carla Radames, entering a nearby building. Under the impression it is actually Ada, Helena suggested they follow her and the two agents went after her. They discovered that two others were pursuing "Ada" alongside them and the two pairs were forced to race against each other through several traps. The other pair of pursuers, BSAA operatives Chris Redfield and Piers Nivans managed to eventually corner her in a series of catwalks. Leon moved on to stop them as Helena watched him fight with Chris over the woman. In the midst of their heated discussion, "Ada" made her escape and an enraged Piers followed after her. Helena immediately began to follow after him until Leon stopped her, despite her exclaiming that Piers would surely kill the woman. Before letting Chris go, Leon tried to reason with Chris, finally convincing him to take "Ada" into custody instead of killing her. When Helena questioned if they could rely on Chris to do the right thing, Leon told her how Chris had been in the game as long as he has and that he trusts him. With "Ada"'s fate in Chris and Piers' hands, Helena and Leon continued their objective of finding Simmons.

Together Helena and Leon provide cover-fire for Jake and Sherry to escape.

Only moments away from Kwun Leng, Helena asked if Leon was really okay with going after Simmons as opposed to following Ada and if he regretted not following her. Leon remarked how Ada would have to wait and how Simmons was their objective. Simmons stood ready on the other side of the set of doors outside the building with armed members of The Family, but was surprised to see Helena and Leon the ones emerging though Sherry and Jake followed shortly behind. Sherry demanded answers from Simmons who admitted his involvement in the attack, claiming it for the good of the country and placing blame of the president's death on Leon, provoking Helena to curse him. The Family opened fire, forcing the three agents and Jake into cover. Together they planned to cover Sherry and Jake as they made their escape though before separating, Sherry gave information that could stop the C-Virus. As the two made their getaway, Leon and Helena attacked The Family members though the short battle was thrown into chaos as Derek was suddenly shot with a dart by a rogue J'avo and infected with the C-Virus. Simmons stumbled away to a passing train and Helena and Leon gave pursuit, jumping onto the train after him. As they found him at the front of the train Simmons tried to divert their attention at first by placing blame on Ada Wong, then tried to rationalize his actions. Leon and Helena dismissed his remarks as Simmons became more enraged and eventually succumbed to the effects of the enhanced C-Virus, his body rupturing and granting him the ability to mutate into a larger canine-like creature of bone and muscle tissue.

Unflinching, Helena prepares to take a final shot at Simmons.

The two agents fought with the mutated Simmons throughout the series of train cars, though he showed no signs of stopping and only taunted Helena with her sister's death. He even proved strong enough to knock another series of oncoming train cars off of the railing. Simmons prepared to ram the train they were on head on, though they managed to trip him up as they opened fire, causing the train to ram him and flip him back on top of the train. His body briefly succumbed to the damage it received and reverted to his human form. He recovered quickly and mutated once more, using his brute strength to dislodge a piece of the train's roof and send it flying towards Leon and Helena. Leon managed to slide and shoot the debris to knock it off course, giving Helena an opening just as it passed overhead as she fired one bullet directly into the mutated Simmons' head. Becoming distraught with the situation before him as The Family abandoned him, Simmons slipped from the edge of the train and fell on to the tracks, the train running over him in the process. The cars became dislodged from the rails and Helena and Leon were forced to leap off and into the water nearby. Alive and exhausted, they pulled themselves ashore just outside of Tatchi. They briefly overlooked the wreckage caused on the bridge railroad before walking up off of the dock, watching as civilians were being escorted to safety by the BSAA. Helena asked Leon if the ordeal was finally over to which Leon replied, "Yeah... it's over."

Moments before infection hits Tatchi.

Before Helena and Leon could relax, Hannigan suddenly contacted them to inform them that Sherry and Jake had been abducted. Helena realized that the files that Sherry gave them had something to do with it and as they looked over the files, she pointed out to Leon how the key to stopping the C-Virus actually lies in Jake Muller. As Leon tries to get in contact with someone in the BSAA to help rescue them, Helena spots an object in the sky just above. With Chris patched through, Leon informed him of their location only to have Chris urgently yell for them to leave the area. The object overhead that Helena spotted was a missile that released the C-Virus in a blue fog over Tatchi, infecting countless people. Leon told Chris to find Sherry and Jake and rescue them and Helena overhears as Chris in turn told Leon that Ada Wong was dead. Concerned, Helena asked Leon if he was alright, but Leon only distantly mentioned finding survivors and escaping the city. With the help of some BSAA operatives, Leon and Helena manage to avoid the blue fog and escape into a truck with one of the soldiers. The soldier drives them through the fog to the edge of the danger zone, directing them to the Quad Tower where evacuees were being taken. Chaos reminiscent of Tall Oaks was everywhere as a stray gas tanker knocked them both out briefly. As they came to, infected citizens began to surround them until Ada suddenly appeared in a helicopter, providing them with cover-fire to make their escape. They managed to find their way to a bridge overrun with zombies that would lead directly to the Quad Tower. However, a plane set inside a building dislodged itself, starting a series of explosions that destroyed the bridge. Helena and Leon were forced to run, making their way to a BSAA helicopter to escape only to find the pilot was injured. Leon took the controls of the failing helicopter, managing to keep it suspended enough to crash through the side of the Quad Tower. Barely escaping the crash, Leon and Helena proceeded deeper into the tower.

Helena brings up Leon's feelings for Ada.

As they entered the Quad Tower, Helena and Leon were shocked to find Derek C. Simmons waiting for them. Still greatly angered, he mutated into a new, gigantic form as he witnessed Ada circling overhead in her helicopter. With the help of Ada, they managed to bring Simmons' monstrous mutation down once again. Ada retreated to the roof with her helicopter and Helena hoped the elevator was still operational. Noticing Leon's hesitation, she asked him what was wrong but he insisted it was nothing. On the elevator ride up, Helena finally spoke up about Ada, pointing out Leon's obvious feelings for her. Before Leon could respond, the elevator was blown off course by an explosion, forcing the agents to make a wild leap on top of the neighboring elevator. Together, they climbed the support cable only to witness Ada fighting with Simmons on top of a nearby connecting hallway between two of the towers. With Ada evading to another section of the tower, Helena and Leon found the opportunity to fire on Simmons from afar until the platform they stopped on began to fall, forcing them to jump back on to the cable. Simmons' attention shifted to the two agents as they climbed further. Helena tried to call out for Ada's help as Ada returned the favor, trying to slow Simmons down with gunfire. It was not long before Simmons went after Ada again, giving Helena and Leon the chance to find even ground once more until Leon found a way over to help Ada as she was knocked out by Simmons. From afar, Helena could do nothing but provide cover fire for the two while fending off whatever zombies shambled her way. Though Helena was helpless as Simmons managed to knock Leon to the edge of the platform, leaving him dangling until Ada came to his rescue. With Simmons dispatched, Ada bid Leon a final farewell before departing, though Helena urged him over their comms to go after her. Leon refused, stating that he and Helena were sticking together.

Helena urges Leon to follow after Ada.

Reaching the roof, they discovered Simmons had survived their last encounter, mutated further as he absorbed the bodies of the infected to power himself. Though Simmons briefly blocked their exit, they managed to injure him enough to the point he was defenseless as surrounding undead swarmed and began to feed on him. They took note of the helicopter Ada had left for them and rushed to it, though Simmons - newly mutated into a massive amalgamation of different insects - tried to stop them once more. Noting how Simmons used the bodies of infected to regenerated, they used a loosened lightning rod to impale a zombie as Simmons took it in to regenerate its damaged head. The rod attracted the lightning from the ongoing storm, causing the electrified creature to crash through the floor. They reached the helicopter, but the injured and fully-mutated Simmons rose to try and stop them. The agents managed to finally put an end to things with a rocket launcher left behind by Ada, the blast of the launcher knocking Simmons back and deep into the belly of the tower. As Simmons fell, his body mutated back into his human state just as he was impaled on the obelisk Helena and Leon passed earlier, bleeding him out from his wound. Watching Simmons' death, Helena spoke of her finally getting revenge for her sister as Leon suggested they get to the helicopter.

"That's for my sister."

In the helicopter, the two found a compact left behind by Ada with a hidden compartment. Inside the compartment was a small data disk containing all of the evidence needed to prove that Simmons was behind the bioterrorist attacks, the evidence to ensure Leon's innocence. When Leon said it would prove both of their innocence, Helena could only sadly remark that she did not need it. Before he could retort, Hannigan called to inform the two of them that a way to stop the C-Virus was found. Before the collapsing Quad Tower could catch up to them completely, they made their escape in Ada's helicopter.

Sometime after surviving the events in China, Helena visited the grave of her sister with Hannigan, Leon, and other agents present. Remarking that it is time for her to take responsibility, she thanked Leon and said that she was ready to be taken into custody for her crimes. With a nod of approval from Hannigan, Leon approached and took Helena's arm, though instead of arresting her, he placed her gun in her hand. Helena was confused, proclaiming that she was an accessory to the attack on the president.

Helena gives Ada's compact to Leon.

Hannigan informed Helena that upon reviewing the evidence, it was decided that it was not fair to hold Helena responsible for Simmons' crimes and further said that the findings would not be made public. When she tried to protest, Leon told her that President Benford would have done the same thing. Hannigan suggested they go join the rest of the team, though before departing Helena gave Ada's compact back to Leon, so that he can return it the next time he crosses paths with her.

Although little is actually said about Helena's abilities, it was part of her record that she was at the top of her class and the first choice for the job at the Central Intelligence Agency. Although it was mostly her personality that spoke out, her skill was on-par enough that she was up for an advancement to the Division of Security Operations under the suggestion of Ingrid Hannigan. Throughout the ordeal, she shows an extremely high degree of marksmanship, being able to hit a precise target in an instant such as shooting a zombie square in the head while in the act of turning, as well as being able to fire upon the mutated Simmons, making the same shot without being fazed by the distraction of a potentially dangerous piece of debris flying at her. Helena shows being capable of handling even exotic firearms, namely unique her Hydra shotgun being able to fire three quickshots in rapid succession and reloading immediately afterwards, all while only consuming one stamina bar. She is athletic and capable, keeping up with a highly trained DSO agent with a high survivability. On several occasions she demonstrated feats of body strength that match Leon, such as being able to hold a door partially shut with two zombies (which bear increased strength due to infection) trying to push their way through, as well as being able to easily climb a vertical cable wire hand-over-hand. It is implied Helena is familiar with piloting helicopters as shown when Leon and herself finally defeat Simmons.

In her files, Helena was described as a woman with strong morals and someone who was sympathetic of others and their difficulties, though this fact was easily obscured during the attack on Tall Oaks as she was more concerned with what happened to her sister. Helena was noted as having the tendency of becoming over-emotional and exhibiting an extremely rash behavior and tendency towards violence. This was noted in her record at the agency, referencing two separate issues, one of which involved her using excessive force on a murder suspect after he made threats to the family of a victim. While under evaluation for candidacy in the DSO, however, Ingrid Hannigan praised her strong will and believed it overshadowed her negative traits. Helena was not known to be a follower and rarely stepped aside to let someone take the lead and never let anyone get in the way of her beliefs.

Interestingly, although she showed little fondness towards Leon S. Kennedy at first she often went against her nature and followed Leon's lead on many occasions while voicing her displeasure. However every occasion she agreed to follow Leon, it was actually a scenario in which Helena would have likely done what Leon did regardless as it was always in the defense of other innocent people. It seemed at first that Helena was merely using Leon until she found her sister, but after the death of Deborah, Helena began to open up to him and become more responsive, his remarks even provoking a smile several times on what had previously been such a serious and hardened expression. Helena even began to involve herself in Leon's personal life, to a degree, bring up his questionable and mysterious relationship with Ada. In spite of knowing so little about Ada, and that of what she did know was not entirely favorable, Helena was still supportive of Leon's obvious feelings for her and even urged him to follow after her and finally confront his feelings as Ada made her escape. After the situation in China was settled, Helena kept the compact Ada left behind which contained a data chip with evidence against Simmons. When she was presented with her freedom by Leon, she gave the compact to him for when Leon inevitably crossed paths with Ada again.

Helena's only known living family member was her younger sister, Deborah Harper. As Helena was a serious government agent and Deborah was a carefree party girl, it caused tension and conflicts between the two. However, it did little to tarnish the love Helena held for her little sister as she was still fiercely protective of Deborah. This was made extremely evident after Deborah's abusive boyfriend hospitalized her, when Helena had become so angered that she shot and injured him. While the two were held captive, Helena offered to do anything numerous times in order to save Deborah's life, then sacrificed her job and reputation for her sister by following Simmons' commands. Helena later put her own life in immediate danger time and time again during the incident in Tall Oaks with the express purpose of rescuing her sister. Even after Deborah had mutated and lost any semblance of her former being, Helena still tried to speak to her and reason with her.

Due to Simmons threatening Deborah's life and eventually causing her death, as well as his act of using Helena, she grew to hate him greatly. At first Helena would become extremely furious at the mention of his name and seemed to lose control when speaking to him, immediately lashing out verbally against him. However by the time they had reached China, she seemed to settle into a more stable and rational state even though the feelings for vengeance were the main thing that drove her at that point. Despite this, Helena had her attitude more under control and was more unfazed by other obstacles and more open to other people, as shown by finally start to involve herself with Leon personally. Helena finally settled her loathing of Simmons when she and Leon finally killed him once and for all, finally able to move on.

Helena's relationship with other U.S. government agents is only touched upon briefly. Although Ingrid Hannigan regarded Helena highly,[4] her superiors questioned her ability to maintain a position in government work with her attitude[3] and Helena's past has given her a poor reputation with other agents in the Secret Service to the point that they tend to disregard her outlandish claims with one agent in particular even referring to her as "the CIA's problem child."[6]

Helena is shown to have a sarcasm similar to Leon's. One example was when the Ustanak replaced his injured weapon with a spare she made a joke to give him credit since he came prepared.